I pulled a black and white photo of this young man and had to paint his hair. But I felt like it needed out of this world colors. What do you think?

And as a bald man who once had hair that was always complimented by the barber, maybe I'm a little envious.

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mrdg2w5vck2f

Hosted by https://bsky.app/profile/artsallianceofstfd.bsky.social, our model, https://bsky.app/profile/ludmedinaartola.bsky.social was great.

This one is my favorite by far is the black and white of Ludmila's face is by far my favorite. I feel like I really captured her spirit here.

Second pose from Dilnoza Abdusalimova. I tried to convey the energy I feel watching the video and hearing the music but in a still image.

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mr66i63lc22j

Modern witches would never use a broom as transport when there is perfectly comfortably furniture! Fly in comfort ladies!

And the robe, IT HAS POCKETS!!

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mqzyyhvqjc2d

Found shorts of her on the internet where she does JoJo poses and they're FANTASTIC! I immediately needed to paint them. The first pose is very much her, we'll see what I do with the dozen or more other poses I saved.

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mquei2huv22k

I received a record amount of feedback on my last attempt to paint water on skin. Thank you all! The biggest mistake I made was I was trying to paint water on a waxed surface like a car on skin.

I learned a long time ago light reacts with skin very different than hard surfaces. Only makes sense water would do the same. And several of you pointed that out. It also explains why I couldn't find any famous artists who painted what I was looking for. Because skin isn't car!

Oops.

How did I do this time?

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mqpccs4yis2q

Edit: There is supposed to be a small waterfall off screen to her left. The actual model was in the shower as a wet skin reference. I didn't want to paint someone in the shower. And people in waterfall scenes mostly focus on the waterfall! So I adapted this one.

Trying a more detailed view of water droplets. How did I do?

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mqkvliarnk2d

I'm trying to paint water droplets, thoughts?

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mqkffgfix22e

One day she'll accept the trade-off, losing a piece of her humanity. She'll look back and see the wisdom in it. But not today. Today she just wants back what she's lost. (Oh this better, updated last sentence: Today she screams.)

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mq5v2fdv4k2n

As much as I like cybernetics and media with it, I don't want it. I have a few irrational fears, this is one. The other is finding a toilet in a dream and using it.

Every other entry in this series has been at peace with or loved the trade-off. But I wouldn't and when I saw the reference image I knew exactly what I was going to paint with it. Someone tortured with the choice.

I also love Fredrik Backman, Bear Town is one of my all time favorites. The way he gets me to feel emotions with his words is something else. So the blurb above is my attempt in his style.

Thoughts? Also is the rain convincing?

Can't really have a Shadowrun / Cyberpunk series without a full conversion borg can you? I spent more time on this than anything else this year. Getting the bronze and steel metals right was critical. What do you think I should do next in this series?

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mq33srsnns2w

As you know I'm on this Shadowrun / Cyberpunk kick and I wanted to do my version of the spider robot in the 1996 Ghost in the Shell. I realized I did that once so what if I went back and just redid the original from a few years ago? 2024 below, 2026 in the title image.

I still like both, my drawing of the robot is a bit better but the rendering is completely different. Both are at the peak of what I was able to do at the time.

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mpylmzbnmk2b